Scotland
The Italian Chapel stands as a poignant reminder of the troubled times Orkney went through during WWII. It is a remarkable survival and was saved because the bulldozer driver thought it too good to destroy.
Sadly this much loved building has been demolished despite a campaign to save it.
COAST ARTILLERY BATTERY: S0015230 (Extant) Twin 6pdr QF gun emplacement. A cable railway was laid to facilitate supply of the battery along with a jetty at the camp adjacent to the battery. Fragments of rail remain in-situ and some winding gear too. Some trucks are dumped on the shore below […]
2 x 12pdr QF guns emplaced here.
1 x Twin 6pdr QF gun house and associated buildings. Currently used as a paintball venue hence some of the additions visible in the pictures. Thanks to Orkan Adventures for giving us permission to wander round.
2 x 12pdr QF in gunhouses with different architecture.
Videos from June 2025 Air Raid Shelter at Stanger Head. Port War Signal Station 2020
2 x 4.7″ QF Mk4 on Mk3 mountings to start with and 2 6″ BL Mk7 on P8 mountings later. The degree markings on the gun mounts do not appear to correspond with a compass in any way, the 0 on the ring in the fourth picture is pointing SSE. […]
1 x Twin 6pdr Q.F.
1 x Twin 6pdr QF gun house survives along with the engine room and 1 of the 3 searchlight houses. Links Battery Director Tower (blown up by the army in the 1960s) from the golf course, photo of a video. Thanks to Wendy Barker of Orkney Escapes for permission to […]
2 x 12pdr QF one in concrete gun house the other in an open emplacement with a peat blast wall to allow all round traverse.
2 x 6″ breech loaders Mk7 on CP2 mountings. Much of this battery is built on top of the WWI 6″ QF battery. Pictures below from 2002 Pictures from 2015 showing “collapse” of the 2 6″ gun houses.
2 x 12 pdr QF and associated buildings.
Much of this WWII battery is built on top of the WWI 3 x 4″ QF battery. some of the emplacements can be seen between the WWII ones.
1 x Twin 6pdr with no overhead cover. Unigue double split beam searchlight houses.
1 x Twin 6 pdr QF emplaced here. Search light houses are facing collapse from erosion.
1 x 12pdr QF installed in a temporary emplacement allowing all round traverse.
2 4.7″ QF Mk4 on Mk3 mountings were emplaced here. The battery was never really finished – there being no overhead cover for the guns and the BOP was a Jane Hut.
Coast artillery Battery housing 2 x 12pdr QF guns. Remains of paintings in each gun house. Pictures are from 2003. Pictures from 2020
1 x Twin 6pdr QF gun house and associated buildings.
2 x Twin 6pdr QF guns for defence of Hoxa Sound against AMTBs and covering the Boom defence. Apparently this type of gun produced a lot of smoke – hence the need for the separate director towers.
Drone Hill lies 2½ miles (4 km) east northeast of Grantshouse and 4 miles (6 km) west of Coldingham. This is now the site of Highview Caravan Park, formerly Drone Hill Caravan Park, located amongst the remains of an historic military installation. Drone Hill was one of the earliest chain-home […]
See WW2 Airfield Battle Headquarters (battlehq.info) for more information about Airfield Battle HQs
The first one is at the side of the A198 between Port Seton and Aberlady and is very overgrown. There are two large blocks, one with slots and one with holes both flanked by normal tank cubes. The second pic is again at the side of the A198, this time […]
COAST ARTILLERY BATTERY: S0015240